The economic consequences of using alternative, more potent medications. Questions 7–10
IELTS texts often focus on the reasons behind this crisis. Key contributing factors include:
For nearly a century, antibiotics have been the bedrock of modern medicine. Since Alexander Fleming’s chance discovery of penicillin in 1928, these miracle drugs have saved hundreds of millions of lives. They transformed once-fatal infections—like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and rheumatic fever—into easily treatable ailments. They also made complex surgeries, organ transplants, and cancer therapies possible by shielding vulnerable patients from opportunistic bacterial infections. However, this golden age of medicine is under severe threat. Paragraph B The economic consequences of using alternative, more potent
Strategy: Look for synonyms. If the statement mentions "financial cost," look for paragraphs discussing "expenditure," "economic burden," or "funding." 3. Sentence Completion / Summary Completion
While human misuse is a massive concern, the agricultural sector represents an even larger volumetric threat. Globally, a staggering percentage of medically important antibiotics are administered to livestock. Rather than treating sick animals, subtherapeutic doses are routinely mixed into animal feed and water to promote faster growth and prevent diseases caused by crowded, unsanitary farming conditions. This practice turns industrial farms into massive breeding grounds for resistant bacteria. These superbugs ultimately enter the human ecosystem through contaminated meat products, direct contact with agricultural workers, and runoff water that pollutes local crops and vital water supplies. However, this golden age of medicine is under severe threat
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics are primary contributors to the development of antibiotic resistance. The widespread prescription of antibiotics for viral infections, such as the common cold, and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, have accelerated the emergence of resistant bacteria. Additionally, the lack of new antibiotics being developed and the inadequate infection control practices in healthcare settings have exacerbated the problem.
Paragraph E details the financial hurdles for the pharmaceutical sector, explaining that chronic condition drugs are far more lucrative than short-course antibiotics, making R&D costs hard to recoup. such as the common cold
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 11–13 on your answer sheet, write: if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this